Beck, meanwhile, is clearly the favorite of the coaching staff. Dan Graziano of ESPN.com’s NFC East blog wrote a compelling piece on Beck Tuesday where Beck compared himself to a sculptor chiseling himself into a complete quarterback.

Mike Shanahan on Beck: “I’ve been doing this for a few years. I know people that can play.”

Kyle Shanahan on Beck: “He believes in himself, and he should, because he’s a talented guy who should be a starting quarterback in the NFL. Now, we’ve got to see how he plays when the lights come on. We’ll put him in the game and see how he handles the pressure of being the guy. ”

It’s only the preseason, but the lights come on for Beck Friday night.

If I hear the name John Beck one more time in relation to a completely hypothetical talent and potential that he claims he has despite playing in 4 nfl games and having 1 career touchdown to 4 interceptions, I’m going to go nuts

deepseabreeze says:Aug 16, 2011 1:40 PM

1st team all pro

joetoronto says:Aug 16, 2011 1:41 PM

The rat and the mouse strike again.

themanchine says:Aug 16, 2011 1:43 PM

And I was looking forward to Friday….

wryly1 says:Aug 16, 2011 1:43 PM

Mixed feelings. Glad to see the kid get his shot. Sorry for him it’s under OC Kyle Shanahan.

schrutebeetfarms says:Aug 16, 2011 1:44 PM

Mike Shannahan went on to say, “please ignore my results of who I think can play for the past few seasons.”

Am I really thrilled that the Redskins are marching John Beck out as the starting QB? No. But having seen Donny Mac’s “quarterback” work last year, I guess I’m wondering how much worse John Beck could be. There’s kind of a “why not?” quality to all of this. At least he’ll know the playbook.

Guaranteed Donovan McNabb has a better season than either Beck or Grossman.

_____________________

Way to go out on a limb there. In the NFL a successful QB is all about they system they’re in, and McNabb’s system is much more familiar to him. It’s the same scenario as Favre leaving the Jets’ system to join the Vikings.

They’ve obviously decided that the Sex Cannon and the Mulleted Mormon are simply too awesome to relegate to 2nd string.

They will go with a QBBC approach known simply as “Ron Grossbeck.”

01 i
Rate This

Some people just try to be *to* witty for their own good.”

You two are trying too hard to kill the English language. Mad props too yew.

mogogo1 says:Aug 16, 2011 2:00 PM

“I’ve been doing this for a few years. I know people that can play.”

I think Shanny is a great coach, but how does he make a statement like that? All it does is amp up pressure on Beck. It does nothing to help him, and probably actually hurts his chances.

And Kyle Shanahan was quoted the other day saying how he argued at the time that Beck should have been a top 10 draft pick. Like the several years that have passed without him doing anything didn’t definitively prove that he wasn’t worthy of that? These guys just like hearing themselves talk and they’re going to outsmart themselves before this is over.

andyb053 says:
Aug 16, 2011 1:58 PM
Guaranteed Donovan McNabb has a better season than either Beck or Grossman.

_____________________

Way to go out on a limb there. In the NFL a successful QB is all about they system they’re in, and McNabb’s system is much more familiar to him. It’s the same scenario as Favre leaving the Jets’ system to join the Vikings.
________________

Not true. The Vikings no longer run the West Coast offense that Chilly ran in Philadelphia. There’s a new offensive coordinator and new philosophy, and it’s something McNabb had no prior familiarity with. Therefore, Grossman and Beck have an advantage in that they already know the offense while McNabb has to start from scratch. He’ll still be better because it isn’t all about the system. It’s part system, part talent, and McNabb has way more talent than those two guys. Shanahan is a nut, Frazier isn’t.

romoscollarbone says:Aug 16, 2011 3:02 PM

Can you say smokescreen?

If Rex is outplaying him in practice, had a nice 1st pre-season game, and talking as if he is the starting QB, why would the coach not start him? The NFL is about wins and losses, point blank. You lose as a coach you’re fired.

Grossman will start.

geemoney713 says:Aug 16, 2011 3:06 PM

bearsnoah says:
Aug 16, 2011 1:40 PM
If I hear the name John Beck one more time in relation to a completely hypothetical talent and potential that he claims he has despite playing in 4 nfl games and having 1 career touchdown to 4 interceptions, I’m going to go nuts

_______________________________

3 interceptions, not 4. They were with a 1-15, one of the worst ever, Miami team.

Redskins’ fans cheer up. Just look at it this way, when the 2012 draft comes by you guys will have the number 1 draft pick while your fellow rivals eagles will have number 32 overall for winning the super bowl. see having john beck or rex grossman as your starting QB isn’t all bad

Way to go out on a limb there. In the NFL a successful QB is all about they system they’re in, and McNabb’s system is much more familiar to him. It’s the same scenario as Favre leaving the Jets’ system to join the Vikings.
________________

Not true. The Vikings no longer run the West Coast offense that Chilly ran in Philadelphia. There’s a new offensive coordinator and new philosophy, and it’s something McNabb had no prior familiarity with. Therefore, Grossman and Beck have an advantage in that they already know the offense while McNabb has to start from scratch. He’ll still be better because it isn’t all about the system. It’s part system, part talent, and McNabb has way more talent than those two guys. Shanahan is a nut, Frazier isn’t.

_______________________

Good thing you have such a big sample size to work with to prove that Frazier is less nutty than a two-time Super Bowl willing coach.

theblowtorchreview says:Aug 16, 2011 3:21 PM

I’m sure Shanarat and company can evaluate a QB, but I don’t think one game or even an entire preseason is enough time to figure out if this guy has what it takes to be a successful NFL starting QB.

What bothers me is the other day he was comparing Beck to Elway, Montana, and Steve Young! Just 3 of the best QB’s the NFL has ever seen! I think Shanarat is looking thru rose colored glasses myself, and he probably got the word from Danny Boy……either this guy works out or we’re going crazy next year for a QB!!!!!!

Shanahan is talking up his QBs, what exactly do you expect him to say to press when they ask him about how he rates them?

Criticising him for this is like criticising a man for telling his wife, “you look great”, “no your bum doesn’t look to big in that”. Honesty is a great thing, but there are times when diplomacy is the sensible course of action.

For example, in restaurants you complain about the service, after you’ve finished eating, if you like your food uncontaminated.

I know he criticised McNabb but, by the time that started around mid-season, Shanahan had already seen enough to know it wasn’t going to continue beyond the end of the year. Plus, I defy anyone who has any involvement with the Redskin’s to watch McNabb’s 4th quarter interception in Detroit and not completely lose their temper.

It was the perfect encapsulation of McNabb’s performance last year. He missed the open back breaking into the flat. Stared down his receiver. Waited for an age after the receiver had come out of his break, then dollied a nice soft pass into triple coverage. Of course it didn’t start as triple coverage, McNabb created that all by himself with the sort of incisive decision making that can only be measured on a geological time scale.

That was at a point when his team was in the lead, and just needed to run time of the clock. What was really crucial at that point was that the quarterback shouldn’t do anything mind-bogglingly stupid and try to force something that wasn’t on. McNabb couldn’t manage it.

Man, all you Redskins haters better watch some tape of last Friday’s game. Skins O-Line dominated the vaunted Pittsburgh Steelers FIRST team D-line. Receivers were sharp, Hightower ran all over them, hell even Grossman put up big numbers. Sure, there was no gamplanning BLAH BLAH it was preseason but the tape don’t lie. Skins passing offense was third in the league behind Grossman the last three weeks of last season, it was the DEFENSE that was awful. If the D improves, this team could really surprise some people. Gone are the distractions, and the roster is just playing football.

I respectfully disagree. Unless Donovan McNabb has a complete mental and physical metamorphosis with the Vikings, he will continue to miss open receivers and throw ill-advised passes into double/triple coverage which result in INT’s. He’s not like a fine wine. He won’t be better this year. He made the least of that terrible situation of last year to which you refer, something that can’t be said of Grossman.

Good luck to you and your team.

HAIL!

scudbot says:Aug 16, 2011 4:32 PM

“Beck compared himself to a sculptor chiseling himself into a complete quarterback.” He’s had four did-not-play years to finish his masterpiece but is still “a little rough around the edges”? Michelangelo created David in only three.

I respectfully disagree. Unless Donovan McNabb has a complete mental and physical metamorphosis with the Vikings, he will continue to miss open receivers and throw ill-advised passes into double/triple coverage which result in INT’s. He’s not like a fine wine. He won’t be better this year. He made the least of that terrible situation of last year to which you refer, something that can’t be said of Grossman.

Good luck to you and your team.

HAIL!
_____________

I understand how you feel because I watched Favre last year. Still, I think a guy under 35 is entitled to a bad year. I’m not saying he’s going to be great; he’ll probably be a below average QB. I’m just saying he’ll be better than John Beck or Rex Grossman. On any other thread, that isn’t going out on a limb.

turgidsen says:Aug 16, 2011 5:23 PM

Ummm sorry I was drinking the koolaid and it was apparently spike

bucks12965 says:Aug 16, 2011 6:01 PM

Hey Romoscollarbone,

Because Shanahan cares more about doing it his way, than winning. See Detroit game last year.

“If I hear the name John Beck one more time in relation to a completely hypothetical talent and potential that he claims he has despite playing in 4 nfl games and having 1 career touchdown to 4 interceptions i’m going to go nuts.”

What drives me nuts is people thinking four NFL games is a legitimate sample size to evaluate anyone’s potential talent or lack of talent.

macjacmccoy says:Aug 16, 2011 7:25 PM

Kyle Shanahan on Beck: “He believes in himself, and he should, because he’s a talented guy who should be a starting quarterback in the NFL. Now, we’ve got to see how he plays when the lights come on. We’ll put him in the game and see how he handles the pressure of being the guy. ”

What is Kyle talking about. Performing is half the battle. Just bc u got a little talent doesnt mean you should be a starting qb in the NFL. You need to have talent, drive, focus, and the ability to keep it altogether when it actually matters.

The guy shouldnt be a starter bc of talent every qb that has ever entered the NFL had talent. Its what you do with it.

truefan2011 says:Aug 17, 2011 8:40 PM

I think the skins will better this year, because the parts around the quarterback will be better this year.

Better O line play, more quality wide receivers to throw to, a good young stud at running back, better D line, linebackers, corners and safties. u know stuff like that, that have nothing to do with the quarterback.

but then, you get to having a guy like rex grossman, or john beck, who play like they have something to prove, like they will do whatever they need to do to be successful.

they wont act as if they have a sense of entitlement, that leads them to believe it’s ok to not do a simple thing THAT WILL HELP THE TEAM like wear a wristband because you were TO WORRIED ABOUT IMAGE instead of learning the plays or FIXING YOUR MECHANICS so you don’t throw passes in the dirt or overthrow WIDE OPEN people. I, like shanahan, love McNabb as a person, but he needs to WORK HARDER